Since the first stem cell bone marrow transplant for Omar Abdullah, son of Brother Omar Abdullah Sr., Mitchell Lodge No. 81, the Masonic Blood + Organ Donor Program and Brother Bill Soloway, program director, have been with them on their journey to treat Omar's leukemia.
Brother Harry Woods, 95, hosted his last blood drive on Oct. 8, 2024, at Eureka-West Shore Lodge No. 302, Mechanicsburg. Having served as the lodge’s Blood Chairman for over 35 years, Harry was integral in the collection of over 1,700 units of blood, which translates into saving up to 5,100 lives. In addition, the lodge donated the $10 per pint it received from the Masonic Blood + Organ Donor Program to the Children’s Dyslexia Center in Harrisburg. The lodge celebrated Harry’s service with cake and ice cream, and Harry received numerous accolades for his dedication.
Good News! On April 30, 2025, after a long wait, Ed Hoover successfully received a double lung transplant. Read about his recovery journey below.
Organ donation has touched Brother Bruce Edward and his family's lives in multiple ways. He continues to be an outspoken advocate for organ donation laws, donors and recipients.
Gift of Life Howie's House provides affordable lodging, meals and support services to those who travel to Philadelphia for transplant-related care. On a recent Sunday, members of Lodge No. 2, Philadelphia, prepared a meal for guests in the home's spacious kitchen. Cooking a meal together for a good cause is a perfect combination of fellowship and philanthropy, both important tenets of Freemasonry.
Brother Tom Pentony, Richmond-Solomon Lodge No. 3, Philadelphia, was introduced to Brother Bill Soloway, Executive Director of the Masonic Blood + Organ Donor Program, in January 2022. Four months later, Tom underwent a life-saving liver transplant.
Every 10 minutes, someone in Pennsylvania is told they need a life-saving transplant. With more than 7,000 patients currently on the transplant waiting list, the need for more registered organ and tissue donors is a public health crisis – but it’s one that we have the power to change. The Masonic Blood + Organ [...]
A lifelong Philadelphia Eagles fan, Brother Bill Soloway may bleed green, but he admits his heart is pure gold … and black. That’s because it once belonged to an avid Steelers fan.
The Masonic fraternity teaches compassion and concern for our fellow man. What better way to demonstrate this virtue, than by offering the greatest gift – the gift of life – to those in need?
“There’s always someone worse off than you.” That’s the mantra that Brother Timothy Radtke, Worshipful Master at William Elkins Lodge No. 271, Philadelphia, likes to repeat to himself. That’s why when he learned about the Gift of Life Family House and its Home Cooked Heroes program, he knew he wanted his brothers to participate. The [...]
